Henry Urrutia expected to join Orioles this weekend

Cuban defector outfielder Henry Urrutia, displaced in Haiti since the Orioles signed him to a $778,500 bonus in the summer, is expected to report to the club’s minor league facility at Twin Lakes Park some time this weekend.

The Orioles hoped to send Urrutia to Double-A Bowie last season, but he was held up by problems obtaining a work visa.

Around the horn

With two hits Thursday, third baseman Manny Machado is 4-for-7 this spring. Add three walks, and he has reached base in seven of his 10 plate appearances. … Catcher Chris Robinson, who is leaving the team Sunday to play for Canada in the World Baseball Classic, had two hits in his first spring start. … Right-hander Tommy Hunter, who was supposed to pitch two or three innings Thursday, has been pushed back to Saturday’s game against the Tampa Bay Rays in Port Charlotte. ... He will pitch after Wei-Yin Chen and Brian Matusz. Hunter threw a light side sesion Thursday.

Luckily, they don’t trot out the old “defense wins championship” cliché as much in baseball circles – but there’s no denying there have been teams who improve their ‘D’ and then find increased success.

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Orioles pitching prospect Kevin Gausman struggled early but settled in his second inning of work Thursday, striking out major leaguers Chris Parmelee and Trevor Plouffe on a pair of 96 mph fastballs in his second career spring appearance.

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- After struggling mightily with his control in an ugly one-inning start Thursday, Orioles right-hander Jair Jurrjens acknowledged that lingering flaws in his mechanics are rooted from nagging problems with his right knee.

TAMPA, Fla. -- Each of the Orioles' first five batters facing Yankees starter Nik Turley scored before the New York left-hander could record a single out Wednesday afternoon as the O’s ran out to a quick seven-run lead in a 10-7 win.

TAMPA, Fla. – One of Jake Arrieta’s goals in the early part of spring training is to pound the lower part of the strike zone with his mid-90s fastball, to tempt hitters to chop balls into the ground and let his defense make plays behind him.